A bill approved Wednesday by Ohio legislators allows concealed weapons in establishments that serve alcohol, including stadiums and arenas. However, major sports venues located in the state capital will continue to ban firearms and knives under current state law, according to a report in The Columbus Dispatch.
"Our policies as they pertain to weapons will not change; weapons of any type are prohibited," Columbus Blue Jackets spokesperson Karen Davis told Dispatch reporter AJ Mazzolini. The NHL franchise plays its games at Nationwide Arena. Ken Schnacke, president and general manager of the minor-league Columbus Clippers baseball club, added, "Under no circumstances will any weapons be permitted or allowed in Huntington Park. It's been a policy of ours for almost 35 years, dating back to Cooper Stadium, and there's been no change in our philosophy." Weapons will also be banned from Crew Stadium, home to Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew, according to the team website.
Current state law also makes it illegal to carry weapons on property owned or leased by colleges and universities. A separate bill would repeal that prohibition, according to the Dispatch.
Columbus Motor Speedway, an "open-air arena" under Senate Bill 17, is one venue expected to allow concealed-carry licensees to bring their weapons onto track property, though an official policy has yet to be finalized.
